That So Works!
by Mayumi-H
Summary: Life's little adventures for the team of Sparrow and Nightingale, in 100-word snippets. *Part of the Songbirds series. *Guesting various supporting characters *Episodic fiction
1. That Unexpected Spark

_Disclaimer:_ "Doctor Who" and all associated likenesses - including Sally Sparrow and Larry Nightingale - belong to the BBC. Used here without permission.

* * *

**"That Unexpected Spark"**  
_  
Prompt: "...the flame flickered before..."  
_

She didn't know when it happened, only that it wouldn't let her go.

Perhaps, it had begun in the old DVD store, when she'd first seen his lopsided smile. Or in the library, when he'd sat beside her, listening to a history of angels. Or in that moment of desperate terror, when she'd thought everything hopeless…and then felt his arms surround her.

Or, perhaps, it happened the first time she kissed him: an unexpected spark of feeling for a friend who could be something more.

The flame flickered before, but that kiss had made it flare.

Sally wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I've started to revisit the microcosm of my Songbirds due to the "100-Word Challenges for Grown-Ups" over at Julia's Place WordPress blog. Having the constraint of a particular prompt (as well as a specific wordcount) makes me think carefully about the words I choose.

These 100-word vignettes jump around a bit in time (as Doctor Who stories are wont to do), but I'll try my best to keep them more or less in chronological order.

I hope you enjoy!


	2. Tourist Trap

**"Tourist Trap"**

_Prompt: "...the red box..."  
_

Eyes twinkling, Sally pushed him before the red box and raised her camera into his face.

"Brilliant," Larry muttered at the lens. "Now, we're tourists."

"Oh, shush."

He fidgeted, uncomfortable, as always, as the subject of her camera. It clicked (at last!), and he asked, "Satisfied?"

Sally raised her head, and smiled. "Not just yet."

She pushed him once more, trapping him in the antiquated phone box. Then, she pressed up and kissed him: soft, warm, sweet.

He felt dizzy when they parted.

"Satisfied?" she echoed, smiling wide again.

He closed the box around them, and grinned. "Not just yet."


	3. Love Letters

**"Love Letters"**

He'd found them by accident, hidden in a hardback: letters to a stranger written in Sally's hand, describing dreamy, steamy rendezvous.

Love letters.

Christina had gleefully called them "filthy," while Tom had advised he forget ever finding them. But Larry had to know, even if Sally's expression of red-faced shame screwed his guts, as did her words that followed:

"You were never meant to see those."

He frowned, and sighed. "You could've said something."

She glanced away. "We barely knew each other, then. I was afraid you'd think me some creepy...stalker-"

"Wait." Larry stared at her. "These are about _me_?"


	4. Dogs

**"Dogs"**

"Men are dogs."

Sally frowned. "That's rather uncharitable."

"It's true!" Christina said, and nodded toward the trio at the bar. "Look at them. Elton: Jack Russell terrier. Tenacious, sociable, energetic. Tom: German shepherd. Self-confident; aloof. But purposeful, and discriminating."

"And Larry?" Sally asked, both curious and cautious.

"Labrador," Christina said readily. "Inquisitive, steady-tempered, tractable." She grinned. "And so eager to please!"

Sally frowned again at the outspoken assessment. Men weren't dogs, hers least of all.

Although, she had to admit taking comfort in the warm, gentle weight of Larry's head, when he drifted to sleep that night in her lap.


	5. If I Could Do

**"If I Could Do"**

In the dim pub, the tiny box looked harmless. But it made Larry feel..._wibbly_.

Tom sighed. "Shouldn't you be somewhere?"

"Working on it," Larry muttered as he fingered the box.

"Quit stalling."

"I'm not stalling!" Larry said. "It's just...!"

Tom clucked. "So, you're not _him_. So, what? You and Sally are made for each other! What are you waiting for?"

Larry chuckled. Tom was right: he loved Sally, more than anything. She loved him, too.

In the end, though, it wasn't Tom who convinced him.

It was Elton.

"I'd marry my girl," the smaller man murmured, "if I could do."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
I've always imagined the (10th Doctor) supporting characters of Elton Pope, Tom Milligan, and Larry Nightingale becoming fast mates. Perhaps due to Prone to Obsession's story, "The Almost-Companions", but also because I think they'd complement each other well.

_Thank you_ to the kind anonymous reviewer who said I should keep going with these little vignettes. I enjoy writing them, but it's also wonderful to know that at least someone out there enjoys reading them.


	6. A Wild Ride

**"A Wild Ride"**

_prompt: ...in the dark recess of my mind...  
_

"...Are you _scared_?"

"No. Now, stop talking. You're shaking the plane."

"Would you relax? Nothing's going to happen. We're perfectly safe."

"Look, logically, historically, empirically, I know that. But, in the dark recess of my mind, I can't help but think this is _impossible_! Man simply was not meant to scream through the air in a giant sardine tin!"

"The only one screaming, here, is you."

"Your compassion is overwhelming."

"Listen. Whenever you feel nervous, just squeeze my hand. Just like that. There. Better?"

"...Yeah. Thanks."

"I love you, you know."

"I love you, too."

"Oh, I can't wait for you to meet my parents- _ow!_"


	7. Precious Promises

**"Precious Promises"**

_prompt: ruby  
_

Amid twirling chiffon, Sally pressed back against the door. It clicked, and she smiled.

"You shouldn't be here...!" Larry said, tails flapping.

Three strides put her in his arms, where she silenced this superstitious protest with a kiss that made him hum...and left a ruby smear upon his lips.

Thumbing the smirch, she laughed. "Sorry!"

He didn't laugh, though, just held her close. "Do you promise to still kiss me like that after today?"

Her answer at that moment was as important as it would be in an hour. So she rose, seeking his lips again, and whispered, "I do."


	8. In a Word

**"In a Word"**_**  
****  
**_

There'd been other men of whom she'd dreamed, of course, before him: the deliriously brilliant Doctor, the handsome, charming policeman, even the wise old gentleman who'd wondered wickedly what could have been.

He wasn't as brilliant, handsome, or wise as them, nor delirious, charming, nor wicked.

But, he was strong when he held her, and tender when they kissed, and he filled her with such joy when he made her laugh. And, sometimes, often when she least expected, he could be noble, and valiant, even (surprisingly) passionate...in his own sweet, silly way.

He was, simply, in a word, her husband.


	9. Neither Hell nor High Water

**"Neither Hell nor High Water"**

_prompt: "...the rain turned the road into a river..."  
_

"_Come home? I need you."_

Sally's message made Larry scramble, tossing rushed goodbyes to his mates as he bolted outside. The rain turned the road into a river, but he didn't care. The sky could go on fire, the earth could belch its dead; nothing would keep him from her.

He'd stripped half-naked before he was even up the stairs, where he immediately swept Sally into his arms for an impassioned, instigating kiss.

She flustered. "What's this, now?"

Larry shifted back, abruptly stymied. "You said...! Aren't you..._ovulating_?"

Sally shook her head. "The water heater's broken," she explained.

He flushed hot. "Oh."

She chuckled, coyly. "But, since you're here...!"


	10. Her Billy

**"Her Billy"**

There was a twisting in her belly that night, like a premonition, just before the pain. Then, fear. And then, blood. So much blood, it soaked nightgown and sheets before Sally even realised she was screaming.

Larry never left her side – he was stained red, too – but Sally could only think of _him_, lost to her, again.

"There was nothing you could have done," Tom assured them afterward, when the tears had dried. "But, you're young. Healthy. You should try again."

Larry seemed hopeful. Sally would always wonder, though, about her Billy, the boy who could have been.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
Apologies for the abrupt shift from happy silliness to this kind of tragedy. But "life's little adventures" aren't always full of light.


	11. Missing

**"Missing"**

In place of laughter, lullabies, and the rattle of toys, silence filled the house between them. It pushed Larry from their bed to the sofa, where he spent the long nights longing.

Four months, and the loss still hurt. He felt it, too. But, she was his wife. And he missed her.

Finally, he couldn't stay mute any longer. He wanted her. He needed her. They might not have a baby, but they had each other.

"Sally-"

She interrupted him with a sudden, fierce embrace. "I've missed you," she said.

Closing his eyes, he embraced her, too. "I'm right here."


	12. Heartbreaker

**"Heartbreaker"**

"_Hello!_"

In the shop's back room, Sally stiffened; she'd never heard Larry _croon_ before.

"What's your name, bright young thing?" he said, sounding charmed.

She rose toward the curtain. At the counter stood a petite blonde woman, smiling wide.

Sally prickled.

The woman answered strangely, though: "Alfie."

Larry chuckled. "Like the film! Bet you're a heartbreaker, too."

Blinking, Sally peered past him. It wasn't the woman commanding his attention, but a beaming baby boy, who was, admittedly, adorable.

"Do you have children?" Alfie's mum asked.

Larry's humour wavered. "...No."

Sally stepped beside him. Taking his hand, she smiled. "Not yet."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
**A bit of a subtle reference, here (two, actually). A clap to you, if you get it.


	13. Bare Necessities

**"Bare Necessities"**

"That's everything?" Sally asked, as Larry settled their bags by the door.

He rose with a nod. "Everything we need for a Brighton holiday: clothes, camera, laptop. Austen, X-Files, Sherlock. Condoms, toothbrushes-"

"Do we need those?"

He blinked. "Toothbrushes?"

"Condoms."

Larry blushed suddenly. "I just thought, holiday and all..." He shook his head. "But, if you don't want-"

"No!" Sally said; she blushed, too, high in her cheeks. "I do. But, I was thinking, maybe, we could...try again?"

He smiled, tentatively. "Yeah?"

She smiled, too. Then, she kissed him, with such blooming, beautiful affection, they didn't wait for their holiday.


	14. Legacy

**"Legacy"**

The bellflowers quivered in her grip, and her sinuses felt scratchy, but still Sally pushed the words:

"We saw the doctor yesterday. Not The Doctor, of course... But, the tests were right. All four of them, because, well, we had to be certain." She sniffed, feeling her throat begin to close again; she'd thought her tears done. "We just... We wanted you to know-!" She bit her lip, stifling a hitching breath.

Larry wound his arms around her, very gingerly. "We're naming her after you," he finished.

Sally nodded. Then, settling the flowers against the granite, she smiled. "Katherine Nightingale."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
Stalwart reader Lord Death's Paramour said my Songbirds need this, already. I have to agree; they're on their way, now.


	15. Pillow Talk

**"Pillow Talk"**

She eased back, sighing softly. "You're wonderful. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured, drifting his fingers through her hair and down her arm, to the bump of her belly. Suddenly, he grinned. "I've never been treated like a piece of meat, before."

Sally coughed, and thudded a pillow dully against his shoulder. "I do not-! You know it's my hormones!"

Larry laughed. "Admit it: you've always wanted my body-"

Another thud riffled his hair. "You're horrid."

"You're insatiable!"

She scowled, but that _smile_...! It made her laugh, too, and pull him close again. "Come here, you big hunk of meat...!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
A _bit_ more innuendo than I'd originally envisioned, but pregnancy does make the hormones run a little wild, in more ways than one.


	16. Wonderland

**"Wonderland"**

"Need anything? Tea? Or, some warm milk? I can-"

"Read to her?" Sally said, and smiled. "She likes hearing your voice."

Larry sniffed, incredulous, but sat down anyway. Taking his hand, Sally laid it upon her belly, prompting, "Go on." So, he did:

"_'I've often seen a cat without a grin,' thought Alice; 'but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious-'_"

Sally's belly jumped, suddenly; Larry did the same. He stared, first shocked, then amazed. Then..._delighted_:

"She can hear us." He laughed. "Oh, my God, she can hear us! But, that's impossible-!"

"No," Sally said, grinning. "It's _brilliant_."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
The original prompt was not a true quote from CS Lewis's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, so I corrected it (because I'm a snob), giving you this slightly different take.  
The other quote comes, of course, from Sally and Larry themselves, with an ever-so-slight tweak. Hopefully, Mr. Moffat wouldn't take umbrage at my liberty.


	17. The New Girl

**"The New Girl"**

She looked so much like Sally: bright, sparkling eyes, tiny, upturned nose, precious pink lips, and dimples, just the barest hint of them, like Sally had when she laughed.

Larry fell in love with her instantly.

"You are beautiful," he whispered, stroking tenderly the soft round of her cheek. Bending his head, he kissed her then, and smelled deeply of her sweet scent.

He looked up, into the tired, teary face of his wife.

"She looks like you," Sally said, smiling.

Larry smiled, too, as he nuzzled at both wife and daughter. "I was going to say the same thing."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Originally written for Jenny and Jess; I couldn't let the moment pass unrecorded.


	18. Midnight Misgivings

**"Midnight Misgivings"**

Their nights used to be filled with moans, sighed affections whispered on the wafting breeze. Now, they'd been replaced by groans, grumbling answers to insistent whines floating from the crib.

"Daddy's coming," Larry mumbled, lurching up dutifully.

Left beside his empty pillow, Sally sighed, more wanting than weary, as she wondered how their lives could change so totally, so quickly; she used to be the reason he'd wake in the night.

After a while, Larry returned to bed, settling Katie between them. "She wants Mummy, too."

Her daughter's smile made Sally's heart nearly burst, despite the midnight misgivings. "Mummy's here."


	19. Security

**"Security"**

Alexor, Infinite, Yale – the options made his head ache. But each time Katie burbled on his chest or Sally snuggled beneath his arm, the alternate possibilities bullied Larry back to the seemingly endless roll of statistics designed to make one paranoid...which they did, all too easily, for his imagination.

"Relax," Sally said, sounding unconcerned. "This is London, not Fallujah.

Larry waved his hands over the numbers. "How does this data not worry you?"

Cupping his face, she smiled. "I know you'll keep us safe," she said, her quiet kiss calming.

Only momentarily, though:

"Maybe we should get a dog."


	20. Of Angels and Nightmares

**"Of Angels and Nightmares"**

Mummy crouched close, frowning. "Don't you want to see the statue?"

Katie's head juddered; she hated statues. Especially angels, with their blank eyes and cold faces, looming over silent graves. In her dreams, they moved, lightning fast, grasping her collar, spiriting her away.

She whined, Daddy's trouser leg rustling in her grip.

He smiled. "But, you like ponies!"

Katie blinked; the word intrigued.

So, Daddy scooped her up, and she saw: no stoic, marbled nightmare, this, but a majestic wooden horse, captured mid-motion in a canter.

Mummy took her hand, pressing it to noble, knotted muzzle.

Enchanted now, Katie beamed.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** The statue pony described here is a charming exhibit piece at the Eden Project, in Cornwall. Worth a visit, if you have the time. Also, I couldn't resist a bit of a throwback to those Angels, and to give Katie a bit of perspective on Mummy and Daddy's adventures.


	21. Raving

**"Raving"**

He'd never been propositioned in a club before (he'd never been in a club before), but the reward for such daring...! She was as he'd never known: wild, wanton, full of eager lust; the kisses started the minute they'd left the pounding, primal rhythms behind, only to be reprised not long after -more rhythmic, more primal- in their sparse Whitechapel hotel room.

The bells tolled three before she was finally satisfied, and, while exhausting, it was wonderful.

With morning, propriety returned, as he'd known it must. But, he'd always remember playing strangers in the night, with his bold, brilliant wife.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
**A much longer, more...intimate...version of this vignette appears as a story in its own right, under the title "A Man Could Get Killed."


	22. Such Wondrous Adventures

**"Such Wondrous Adventures"  
**_prompt: "...what a wondrous adventure with young Alice that would be..."**  
**_

Pinafore and ponytails bouncing, Katie bounded across the playground, away from them.

Watching her, Larry sighed. "Seems like yesterday," he murmured, "I was reading _Alice in Wonderland _to her, when she was still in your belly."

Beside him, Sally shrugged. "She's growing up."

He chuckled. "Does she have to do?"

"What a wondrous adventure with young Alice _that_ would be!" Sally said, and they laughed. Then, cuddling close, she quieted.

"I didn't think it would happen so fast," Larry said, lamenting. He met Sally's gaze, chuckling anew. "I want another one!"

Blushing suddenly, Sally smiled. "Funny you should mention that...!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
**A throwback to Chapter 14 ("Wonderland"), as the prompt for this 100-word story occurred directly after that one. Of course, I'm putting these more or less in chronological order, so this somewhat old post happens here.


	23. Alternate Realities

**"Alternate Realities"  
**_**  
**_

Armed with an arsenal of books, pamphlets, and websites, Larry thought himself ready for anything Katie might throw at him: from the logistics of gender possibilities and a tidy explanation of where babies come from, to gentle assurances that nothing or no one could ever usurp the love and devotion he and Sally felt for their soon-to-be elder child.

Throughout his entire rambling explanation, Katie sat quietly in his lap, until he paused, smiled, and asked, "Do you have any questions, about the new baby?"

To which his daughter thought, and blinked, and said, "Can I have a puppy, instead?"


	24. Legacy, Part 2

**"Legacy, Part 2"  
**_**  
**_

Sally thought "Anastasia" regal, while Larry proclaimed it stuffy; he liked "Judith" (after Dame Judi), but Sally called it archaic.

Larry groaned. "We've been over this list a hundred times. We need to make a decision."

"I want her name to mean something," Sally murmured. With Katie, there'd been no question. This second one, though...!

Two days later, Larry approached her, tentatively hopeful. "You know, I've always liked...Wilma."

Sally was incredulous. "As in, Flintstone?"

"Deering," he corrected. "She's a space pilot. Brilliant. Brave." He smiled. "Like you."

She chuckled, testing it out. "Wilma Nightingale?"

He nodded, then added softly:

"Billie."


	25. Calm and Storm

**"Calm and Storm"  
**_**  
**_

True to her quiet, thoughtful nature, Katie had been conceived on holiday, in a romantic refresh of love, with finches trilling outside the window. Billie, by contrast, was the product of an inspired, impassioned fantasy, with temperament to match. Tireless and anxious in the womb, she'd popped two weeks early, in the ambulance halfway to hospital. Colicky, fussy, and a howling insomniac, she was the storm after Katie's calm.

But, her daughters weren't always so different. As Sally discovered one evening, when, investigating the house's queer quiet, she found them cuddled sweetly in their pillow fort, calm and storm together.


	26. Impetus of Love

**"Impetus of Love"  
**_**  
**_

Watching Sally fuss with snotty Billie, Katie's little brow puckered in deep contemplation (for a five-year-old). So Larry brought her into his lap, stroking lightly at her darkening hair.

"What's wrong, Katie-bear?"

Her big hazel eyes peered up. "Is Doctor Tom going to fall in love with Billie?"

Larry squinted; this was new. "...Sorry?"

"Mummy fell in love with you," Katie replied readily, "when she saw you naked. Is that going to happen to Doctor Tom, now he's seen Billie naked, too?"

Flushing suddenly, Larry shot a glare across the table, hissing, "Sally! Why did you tell them that story!"


	27. That Dashing Doctor

**"That Dashing Doctor"**_  
_

"Katie says she wants to marry Tom when she grows up."

"She's far too young for him."

"I know. I also told her someone else in this family is already in love with him, and that one is enough."

"You're talking about me."

"You're the one who said he was 'dreamy.'"

"He's a ruggedly handsome doctor!"

"He's a paediatrician."

"Even better! Good with kids. Major plus."

"Do you hear yourself?"

"You know I love you. But, he's a special case."

"You're ridiculous."

Larry sniffed thoughtfully. "I'm not gay. But, if Tom Milligan asked me, I'd seriously need to consider it."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
As much as I adore Larry, it's hard not to consider Tom the perfect (non-Gallifreyan) man.


	28. Daddy and the Dragon

**"Daddy and the Dragon"  
**_...prompt: a sonnet-form poem to celebrate the feast of St. George...**  
****  
**_

Astride the sofa, clad in argent satin,  
St. George and sword rose tall and full of might  
To face the horrid, furious dragon,  
And keep all tiny children safe at night.

One cheered, one gasped, as Mummy told the tale  
Of fabled times and ancient beasts most foul.  
While Daddy swung his sword and clashed his mail,  
To play St. George and make the dragon howl.

Then, with _whoosh!_ and _whack!_, he seemed to fall,  
And both girls cried for his recovery.  
So Mummy urged their help, however small,  
With clap and laughter, bringing victory.

Kisses came; the toys were set away.  
Though knight and beast would fight another day.


	29. Shattered Silence

**"Shattered Silence"  
**_...prompt: Bah! Humbug...**  
****  
**_

Despite the danger of discovery, Sally let herself whine. For so much sweeter than any cinder toffee was the taste of his shoulder, so much more warming than any port was his breath against her neck. Even all the wrapped, ribboned prizes tucked beneath the tree in the parlour – she'd trade them all for _just a few more_ minutes clutched in his strong, stolen embrace...!

But Katie's shriek - "_It's Christmas!_" - followed by Billie's less articulate echo after, shattered the moment like a delicate glass ornament.

Larry groaned. "First thing tomorrow," he muttered, "I'm arranging for a vasectomy."


	30. Shield Bearer

**"Shield Bearer"**_**  
****  
**_

She dreamed, sometimes, of angels, he knew. Not often; certainly, much less than she used to do, before the duties of the shop and the joys of two exhausting, excitable daughters. But, he still recognised the particular faint, whistling whine she'd make when her mind put herself back in that dark, dank cellar.

Every time, just as he'd done that far-off night, he'd pull her close and wrap himself around her like a shell, her shield against the lonely assassins in her dreams. She'd never wake, but her sleep would always turn easy again soon after.

His always did, too.


	31. These Nights Won't Last

**"These Nights Won't Last"**_**  
**prompt: "...I'm exhausted. Shut the door behind you..."_

The girls' shrieking made Sally snap. She loved them, more than anything, but the _noise_...! Whatever happened to those lovely evenings when they'd cuddle peacefully, dozing off to faery tales?

Larry eased her aside. "Why don't you take a lie down?"

"I'm exhausted. Shut the door behind you, please?" And, leaning back upon the bed, she breathed deep, to relax amid the quiet, alone.

Except, the solitude crushed, the silence oppressed. This wasn't what she wanted. Because these nights wouldn't last, either.

So, rather than waste it, she rose, finding her family snacking on biscuits while puzzling over a jigsaw.

She smiled softly. "Room for one more?"


	32. Dogs, Revisited

**"Dogs, Revisited"**_  
_

"Good morning, handsome."

"Does it qualify as 'morning' if the sun isn't up, yet?"

"Do you still qualify as 'handsome' if you're my husband?"

"Point taken. Does not explain why you're awake so early, though."

"We need to talk."

"...Are you pregnant?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Well, then, can't it wait?"

"No, it can't. I think we should get a dog."

"Absolutely not."

"The girls love dogs-"

"They don't even clean their room without being told. You expect them to care for a dog?"

"Dogs are wonderful companions! Loyal, brave, affectionate. And so _fuzzy_-"

"Hang on. _You_ want this dog!"


	33. Overkill

**"Overkill"**_  
_

"I don't want it near the girls."

"It's nowhere near the girls-"

"It's in our _house_! Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"It's to protect you-"

"Elton, tell him this is mad-"

"Don't drag Elton into this. This was my decision-"

"-Which you made without me!"

"Sally, we're not having this argument. I'll keep it locked, but I am keeping it. End of discussion."

With a wordless, flustered wave of her hands, Sally stormed from the kitchen.

Elton turned to Larry, muttering, "Why d'you need a sledge, anyway? Wouldn't a bat be good enough?"

Larry frowned. "Not against stone."


	34. No Girls Allowed

**"No Girls Allowed"**_  
_

Larry had one criterion: he wanted a boy. He'd even chosen the name: Thor, after his childhood hero. Of course, he loved his girls (and, here, he included Sally, even if he'd never call her "girl" aloud), but being the lone man in their household took its toll.

So, when he saw their hopeful, cagey grins, he knew something was amiss. Until they showed him that wobbly bundle of umber fluff with the bright eyes that promised unconditional loyalty, no matter how mundane, married, or a geek he was.

He smiled, as Sally said:

"Maybe we can call her Sif?"


	35. A Deeper Reflection

**"A Deeper Reflection"**_  
_

_prompt: "...beneath the surface..."_

Fixing her gaze on her disrobed reflection, Sally sighed.

What lay beneath the surface was more important, she knew…but, what had _happened_ to that surface? The flat belly, high breasts, slim hips – where had they gone?

The creak and click of the bedroom door, signalling Larry's return, made her scramble for pants and bra.

His warm, damp embrace stopped her. "Just a mo'."

Cringing from his tickling hair, she laughed, despite herself. "You're wet!"

"You're gorgeous," he replied, nuzzling her neck.

She hummed. "You think?"

He plucked her clothes from her hand; they fell to the floor with his towel. "I know."


	36. Pretty Princess

**"Pretty Princess"**_  
_

"Miss Trish asked what we're to be when we grow up," Billie said, smearing blue across her colouring book Clydesdale.

Sally smiled. "What did you say?"

"Starship captain," Billie answered, grabbing a green; the horse became a pegasus. "Or, dinosaur zookeeper."

"That's my girl," Larry quipped.

Sally turned to their quieter daughter. "And you?"

Dabbing red over her picture princess's hair, Katie murmured, "Pretty."

Sally glanced at Larry, frowning.

Before either parent could confront this, though, Billie declared, "You'll be pretty. Just like Mummy. But, I _have_ to do more. Because I look like Daddy."

Larry sneered. "Thanks very much!"


	37. Sibling Rivalry

**"Sibling Rivalry"**_  
_

_prompt: ...what does it taste like..._

Sometimes, Billie hated Katie. Katie always did as told, and always got stellar marks. She could make tea with the kettle, and read along with Mummy's stories, and she could sleep with Sif.

But, she'd also make Billie's favourite sandwiches, and help her with her letters, and make maths seem not so impossible. Those times, Billie loved her.

Though, she'd never loved Katie so much as when she crept into the kitchen and opened the special jar in the cabinet, and stuck her hand inside.

"What's it taste like?" Billie asked, wide-eyed.

Katie coughed, spitting kibble bits. "Like dog food!"


	38. Leap of Faith

**"Leap of Faith"**_  
_

"I know what I said," Larry muttered, blue eyes darting to the ground far below. "But, I've changed my mind."

Christina clicked the harness, gleefully. "Too late!"

"I can't do this!" he wheezed.

The wild wind whipped her hair, but Sally stayed calm. She smiled. "Yes, you can. It's one step. That's all."

"Sally, please-"

The firm wrap of her embrace shushed him. She shifted them to the edge, unblinking. "Just hold me."

The fear slipped away then, as it always did when he looked into her eyes.

His big arms tightened, too. "Okay," he said, and, together, they jumped.


	39. Dream Girl

**"Dream Girl"**_  
_

Pub outings often created a divider down gender lines. Sally didn't mind. She liked The Lads, but they were Larry's friends. Still, Elton's extemporaneous question pricked her ears:

"Dream girl. Go!"

"Beyonce," Tom answered, while Mister Mott murmured, "I've always fancied young Dame Diana Rigg." Both answers garnered a chorus of appreciative hooting.

When Elton prompted Larry, Sally smiled.

"Dana Scully," her husband replied.

The men looked at Sally. Then, Tom said, "Not fictional."

"Then, Kate Winslet."

Tom turned to Sally again. "Doesn't that offend you?"

She kept smiling. "I consider myself in good company."

Larry blinked. "What'd I do?"


	40. Never Again

**"Never Again"**_  
_

Finding her storybook – _hers_, her birthday present from Gran – scribbled over with purple crayon made Katie explode: "I hate you!"

"I hate you back!" Billie shouted.

Katie threw the book aside, when a wooden squawk and tump-tump of steps put Dad between them, wrangling their arms.

His face glowed with anger. "I _never_ want to hear those words from either of you! Ever! Do you understand?"

Billie nodded; Katie shrank back. "Y-Yes!"

"Go to your rooms, and think on what you've done. Now!"

Time brought calm, and loving apologies. But Katie remembered. And never said the words again.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
A throwback to my Songbirds story, _"Last Words."_  
Scolding kids is difficult, and I don't want to belittle the effect. Maybe this one needs a follow-up.


	41. Little Sisters

**"Little Sisters"**_  
_

Apologies came easily. The explanation, not nearly so:

"I know how difficult it can be, having a little sister."

"You mean, Aunt Kathy?"

Recalling his sister's smile, Larry smiled, too. "I wish you could've known her."

"Would she have liked me?"

"She'd have adored you!"

"Did you ever fight?"

Reminded of their last thoughtless words, his smile faltered. "A lot. And, some things I said...I wish I could take back. But, I don't want you having those same regrets. That's why I got angry."

Katie fell against him in a hug. "I'm sorry."

Larry closed his eyes. "Me, too."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
The follow-up to last chapter's conflict. Much more of this exchange was written, but I think this does the job, well enough.


	42. Best (Bed)mates

**"Best (Bed)mates"**_  
_

Waking to a light shaking of her shoulder, Sally looked around, finding Katie beside the bed. "Darling! What's wrong?"

"Bad dream."

Sally caught her breath, reminded of uncomfortable nights with a toddler's body wedged between her and Larry. Still, she'd have done anything for her daughters, so she whispered back, "Would you like me to come sit with you? Until you fall asleep?"

Katie shook her head, indicating instead the furry mass at Larry's feet. "May I take Sif?"

Sally agreed...though, when they were gone, she couldn't help sighing as she snuggled against Larry again.

He started awake. "Where's Sif?"


	43. The Dreamed Time

**"The Dreamed Time"**_  
_

In a dreamtime that had never been – but that sometimes in her mind seemed all too real – they'd had more than just this domestic simplicity. They'd been Sparrow and Nightingale: stewards of the ways and world forgotten with the coming of silver spheres from the sky. Soldiers, even (of a kind, at least), scribbling messages of resistance on darkened walls and the dwindling Web.

They hadn't had the girls, nor the vows. Only danger, paranoia...and one all too brief flare of finally-realised passion, before the flash of serrated steel-

Sally never remembered the rest. Because it never was.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
A broken imagining of The Year That Never Was, for the Songbirds.


	44. Portrait Study

** "Portrait Study"**

They'd found the film in a box, unmarked, old. "A mystery," Sally had called it, sparking Katie's interest. But, in the darkroom, their eagerness waned as each photo revealed itself: wainscoting detail, a beach, a polished chandelier. Then, developing the monochrome moodiness of a portrait, Sally felt her pulse flutter.

Wary of her husband's scoldings for forcing her camera on him, she'd taken to stealing moments with her shutter. Such as this one, of a younger Larry standing shirtless and oblivious before a window.

Katie giggled. "Daddy was handsome, back then."

Sally smiled, then blinked. "What do you mean, 'back then?'"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**  
Obviously, some of these vignettes aren't so much little adventures in themselves, but me laying relationship and parallel groundwork. Still, hope you enjoy!


	45. Old Things

**"Old Things"**_  
_

"Finger, please," Sally said, pulling the ribbon tight.

Larry complied, though his mind flitted elsewhere; his telltale faraway gaze gave that much away.

"Katie's turning eight. Do you know what that means?"

Blinking at the question's oddness, Sally ventured, "She's one more than seven?"

"It means I'm going to be forty." He turned to her, grimacing. "Grey hair, glasses-"

"You'd look distinguished in glasses!"

Larry rolled his eyes. "You're not helping."

"Do you regret anything?"

"No," he said, and sighed. "I just never thought I'd be..._old_."

She paused...then shimmied close with a smile, purring, "I love old things."


	46. None Otherwise

**"None Otherwise"**

While the girls scampered with Sif, Larry kept pace beside Sally, exhaling a sigh.

"I love this park." He nodded toward one particular copse. "I proposed, right over there."

She snickered, correcting, "You _tried_ to propose."

A blush burned, but he preferred not to debate that old, silly argument. "You know, Wilf told me, 'Children are for grandparents; weddings, for friends. But, when you ask her to spend her life with you, that moment's for just the two of you.'" He chuckled. "Course, it's not just us, any more."

Hugging his arm, Sally smiled. "I wouldn't want our lives otherwise."


	47. Role Reversal

** "Role Reversal"**

"She needs discipline."

"She's five. She's still sorting out her own abilities. She doesn't need us interfering."

"You let her get away with this behaviour just because she likes dinosaurs and spaceships."

"And dinosaurs in spaceships."

"That's not funny."

"You're the one who wanted her to get involved in real, practical science. That's all she's doing."

"She doesn't need to do it at the kitchen table, for God's sake. We _eat_ there!"

"She's already promised: no more cutting up worms in the house. What more do you want?"

Sally sighed. "Normalcy."

Larry snickered. "Since when did you become me?"


	48. Return of the Girl Investigator

** "Return of the Girl Investigator"**

She liked mysteries, but not this sort. Every Thursday, for two months: late night, voicemail when she'd ring, the pervasive smell of sweat in his clothes the following morning.

Sally loved Larry, trusted him, respected him. But, this secret stabbed.

She'd left the girls with Trish, to spare them whatever tearful confrontation might ensue. Tears already streaked her face, watching the warehouse she'd seen him enter an hour ago.

Her fists clenched. No more playing girl investigator. He was her man. She'd _fight_ for him.

She thrust open the door. Flushed, flustered, Larry froze.

So did Sally. "You play drums?"


	49. Crisis Management

**"Crisis Management"**

Shrinking into his seat, Larry mumbled behind his palm, "Let's let it go, please?"

"I just wish you'd told me," Sally replied, still watching the road.

He sniffed. "I'm a mediocre drummer in Elton's ridiculous warehouse band. I may as well scrawl 'midlife crisis' across my forehead."

"Well, it's better than the alternative! I thought you were...I don't know. Having an affair, or something."

"Right," he said, balking. "I'm a forty-year-old geek with two daughters and a dog at home. Who'd want that?"

The car lurched to a stop. Facing him, Sally was emphatic: "I want that."


	50. Silence and Steam

**"Silence and Steam"**

It'd been years since they'd been so reckless, but Sally remembered it like yesterday: Larry's breath in her ear, whispering he wanted her for always; her breath the same, giggling through their kisses she wanted to have his babies. Then, only silence, and steam to sweat the windows. This time, no laughter, only love, as their passion rewound time, turning them young again, seething, gasping, moaning, and grasping like eager teenagers in the back seat.

Drowsing in their afterglow, Sally thought they'd return to their decorous adulthood. Until Larry murmured, "Want to find him?"

Her heart pattered. "Who?"

"The Doctor."


	51. There and Back

**"There and Back"**

"You want to find The Doctor?" Sally asked quizzically.

"There's a great big universe out there," was Larry's ready answer. "One we don't understand. Full of ancient civilisations and alien empires-"

Grinning, she needled his chest. "You just want to snog a pretty moon princess."

He grabbed her hand. "I want you safe. If anything ever happened to you, or the girls, I don't know what I'd do." His grip turned tight. "I just want to know he's out there. That, if we ever need help, we know who to call."

Faced with this reason, she didn't hesitate: "All right."


End file.
